Sutton Leads Scots to Record-Setting Day at Kenyon

Tony Sutton becoming Wooster's all-time leading rusher (4,247 yards) was among the many records which were set against Kenyon.

GAMBIER, Ohio – The College of Wooster scored 28 points during a 6:47 stretch as part of a 35-point first quarter (35-12) and the Fighting Scots went on to cruise to an 84-21 record-setting victory over host Kenyon College Saturday in North Coast Athletic Conference action at McBride Field.

During Wooster’s (5-0, 2-0 NCAC) big first quarter, Tony Sutton (Akron, Ohio / Archbishop Hoban) became the school’s all-time leading rusher, surpassing Brian Grandison (4,042 yards; 1988-91). Sutton finished the day with 286 yards – his eighth career 200-yard game – increasing his career total to 4,247. In the process, he had six rushing touchdowns for the third time in his career, tying his own NCAC record.

Overall, the Scots set conference records for points and total offense (791), and Richie McNally (Westerville, Ohio / St. Francis DeSales) established a new mark for extra points made with 12. Two other single-game school records were set – first downs (34) and rushing yards (541) – while the 84 points were the second-most in Wooster history, only short of the 1906 team, which put 95 on the scoreboard in a rout of Hiram College (95-0) on Nov. 3 of that year.

Back-to-back fumbles by Kenyon (1-4, 1-1 NCAC) gave the Scots the momentum midway through the first quarter. The Lords were actually leading 12-7, but pinned back deep in their own end, they completed a short pass to the five-yard line, where a hard hit by Ryan Jayne (East Palestine, Ohio / East Palestine) jarred the ball loose and Brian Kight (Dublin, Ohio / Fallbrook – Calif.) recovered it in the end zone.

On the ensuing kickoff, Chris Craig (Newark, Ohio / Johnstown-Monroe) forced a fumble on the return and it was recovered by the kicker, McNally, at the Kenyon 30. Three plays later, Sutton scored the second of his three first-half touchdowns, this one from 11 yards out to give Wooster a 21-12 lead.

After the Wooster defense held Kenyon to a three-and-out for the first time, the Scots put together their longest drive of the half, a 10-play, 71-yard march, which culminated in a sliding touchdown catch in the end zone by Tim Slovensky (Parma, Ohio / Parma Senior) from Justin Schafer (Bethesda, Ohio / Union Local) on a 21-yard hookup.

Two offensive plays later, Jesse Koski (Latrobe, Pa. / Derry Area) intercepted the Lords and returned it seven yards to their 30. On the ensuing play, Schafer found an open McNally, who made a one-handed grab near the goal line and fell into the end zone for Wooster’s fifth touchdown of the quarter.

The Scots added two more touchdowns in the second period, the first coming on another Schafer-to-McNally connection, which covered 35 yards, and then Sutton from 11 yards out, giving Wooster a commanding 49-21 lead at the break.

While the second half was a mere formality, the Scots punched in five more touchdowns, the first three coming on third-quarter drives, all of which ended on Sutton touchdown runs from 12, 43, and 3 yards out, respectively, which made it a 70-21 game.

The 11th and 12th touchdowns came via a Kevin Williams’ (Bay Village, Ohio / Bay) three-yard run and a 57-yard burst through the middle, courtesy of Allen Skinner (Gallipolis, Ohio / Gallia Academy), which gave Wooster the team record for total offense, in the fourth quarter. It was Skinner’s first career score.

Along with Sutton’s season-high rushing, Schafer added a season-high 250 yards on 12-of-17 passing. McNally and Slovensky combined for 245 yards receiving, including a career-high 142 for McNally, as the Scots had two players with 100-plus receiving yards for the first time since Nov. 1, 1997, when three reached the century mark during a 77-28 rout at Oberlin College.

Two Wooster backs achieved 100 yards rushing, too, as Williams joined Sutton in triple figures, winding up with 158 on 17 carries. The last time that happened for a Scot team was when Scott Jones and current outside linebacker Bobby Vega pulled off the feat against Oberlin on Oct. 27, 2001.

The Lords totaled 417 yards of offense themselves, led by Alby Coombs’ 144 rushing on 16 attempts and Rafael Sanchez’s 165 receiving on eight catches.